finished taking a shower, trying to wash away thoughts of Zane. Of course it hadn’t done a bit of good.
He had called several times, but she couldn’t get herself to answer. It was just too difficult. Maybe tomorrow she’d answer if he tried again, but not today.
A knock sounded at the front door, startling her. It was close to eight in the morning and she wasn’t expecting anyone.
When she glanced through the peephole, she saw someone in a cowboy hat, but she couldn’t see the man’s face. She frowned. Zane and his brothers were the only cowboys she knew.
She turned the deadbolt, unlocked the door, and opened it.
Zane stood at her doorstep and she caught her breath at the sight of him. He looked good, so incredibly good that it made her heart twist and butterflies to take over her belly.
His face looked serious and his eyes searched hers as if trying to figure something out.
Had something happened? “Is everything okay?” she asked.
He was frowning. “Can I come in?”
“Sure.” She took a step back, her feet sinking into the deep burgundy carpeting that muffled his bootsteps.
When the door was closed behind him, he shocked her by taking her into his arms and his mouth claimed hers. Too stunned to react, she didn’t move for a moment.
Her belly flip-flopped and her whole body seemed to catch fire. His lips felt firm and warm and his taste was wonderful.
She started to draw away when he caught her face in his palms.
“It’s too soon,” he murmured as he studied her features. “But dammit, around you…I can’t control myself.”
“What about—?” she started.
He cut her off. “I ended it with Phoebe the day after you arrived. It just wasn’t right with her and I’ve known it for a while,” he said. “I was going to tell you but the picnic ended so abruptly. Then you went straight to your room because you didn’t feel well, and then you were gone, like that.”
Her jaw dropped “You called off the wedding?”
“I was in denial,” he said. “I got caught up in things and didn’t see her for what she is. It wasn’t right. It took me awhile to come to terms, but I finally figured out Phoebe was all about Phoebe. I was warned and I finally realized it.”
“Then what are you waiting for?” The fire that had been burning in her body grew more intense.
“What do you mean?” he asked.
She slid her arms around his neck and moved her mouth to hover above his. “This.”
Her lips met his and his kiss burned through her as he answered her with an intensity that rocked her world. His scent surrounded her and filled her. Her mind spun as he jerked her up against him, never breaking the kiss.
She moaned softly when he slipped his hand under her T-shirt and she gasped as he captured her breast in his hand. She arched her back, wanting more. He pushed her top up, over her breasts and she slipped her fingers into his hair as he brought his mouth to her nipple and licked it.
With a cry she clenched her fists in his hair as he sucked and then he moved his mouth to her other nipple and gave it the same exquisite attention.
He brought his mouth to hers as he grasped her and raised her so that she had her legs wrapped around his hips. He pressed her up against the wall beside the door, his hips firmly between her thighs and she felt the hard ridge of his cock. She moved her hips, wanting him inside of her like she’d never wanted a man before. His motions matched hers and she almost felt frantic with need.
When he finally drew away she was breathing heavily and he was, too. “I can’t help it with you, Jessie.” His blue eyes held hers as he touched her face with his fingertips. “It feels like I’ve known you forever. That I’ve touched you a thousand times. But kissing you and touching you isn’t enough.”
“I know.” She bit her lower lip before she said, “I feel the same way. We only met the other day but it feels like we’ve been together for years.” She released
He had called several times, but she couldn’t get herself to answer. It was just too difficult. Maybe tomorrow she’d answer if he tried again, but not today.
A knock sounded at the front door, startling her. It was close to eight in the morning and she wasn’t expecting anyone.
When she glanced through the peephole, she saw someone in a cowboy hat, but she couldn’t see the man’s face. She frowned. Zane and his brothers were the only cowboys she knew.
She turned the deadbolt, unlocked the door, and opened it.
Zane stood at her doorstep and she caught her breath at the sight of him. He looked good, so incredibly good that it made her heart twist and butterflies to take over her belly.
His face looked serious and his eyes searched hers as if trying to figure something out.
Had something happened? “Is everything okay?” she asked.
He was frowning. “Can I come in?”
“Sure.” She took a step back, her feet sinking into the deep burgundy carpeting that muffled his bootsteps.
When the door was closed behind him, he shocked her by taking her into his arms and his mouth claimed hers. Too stunned to react, she didn’t move for a moment.
Her belly flip-flopped and her whole body seemed to catch fire. His lips felt firm and warm and his taste was wonderful.
She started to draw away when he caught her face in his palms.
“It’s too soon,” he murmured as he studied her features. “But dammit, around you…I can’t control myself.”
“What about—?” she started.
He cut her off. “I ended it with Phoebe the day after you arrived. It just wasn’t right with her and I’ve known it for a while,” he said. “I was going to tell you but the picnic ended so abruptly. Then you went straight to your room because you didn’t feel well, and then you were gone, like that.”
Her jaw dropped “You called off the wedding?”
“I was in denial,” he said. “I got caught up in things and didn’t see her for what she is. It wasn’t right. It took me awhile to come to terms, but I finally figured out Phoebe was all about Phoebe. I was warned and I finally realized it.”
“Then what are you waiting for?” The fire that had been burning in her body grew more intense.
“What do you mean?” he asked.
She slid her arms around his neck and moved her mouth to hover above his. “This.”
Her lips met his and his kiss burned through her as he answered her with an intensity that rocked her world. His scent surrounded her and filled her. Her mind spun as he jerked her up against him, never breaking the kiss.
She moaned softly when he slipped his hand under her T-shirt and she gasped as he captured her breast in his hand. She arched her back, wanting more. He pushed her top up, over her breasts and she slipped her fingers into his hair as he brought his mouth to her nipple and licked it.
With a cry she clenched her fists in his hair as he sucked and then he moved his mouth to her other nipple and gave it the same exquisite attention.
He brought his mouth to hers as he grasped her and raised her so that she had her legs wrapped around his hips. He pressed her up against the wall beside the door, his hips firmly between her thighs and she felt the hard ridge of his cock. She moved her hips, wanting him inside of her like she’d never wanted a man before. His motions matched hers and she almost felt frantic with need.
When he finally drew away she was breathing heavily and he was, too. “I can’t help it with you, Jessie.” His blue eyes held hers as he touched her face with his fingertips. “It feels like I’ve known you forever. That I’ve touched you a thousand times. But kissing you and touching you isn’t enough.”
“I know.” She bit her lower lip before she said, “I feel the same way. We only met the other day but it feels like we’ve been together for years.” She released